Distributing device



May 19, 1931. F. J. DOLAN DISTRIBUTING DEVICE Filed Sept. 6, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR I gzgifmczr c/I DOLAN ATTORNEY F. J. DOLAN DISTRIBUTING DEVICE May 19, 1931.

Filed Sept. 6, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 1552505121011 J; DOLAN gqm ATTORNEY Q Q Q :2:

r W M mg E W a Patented May 19, 193i "IUITEDQ STA Es EN f FREDERICK i. DoLAN, or WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, AssIeNoR TO RILEY s'roxER CORPORATION, or sErTs 1 DISTRIBUTING nn'vrcn Application filed September 6, 1928. Serial No. 304,368.

This invention relates todistributing devices, and more particularly to a construction-which is arranged to distribute pulverized material uniformly to apair of conduits.. I

In transporting pulverized material in a fluid current through a, pipe line, it is found that the material ,and particularly the coarser particles thereof tend to segregate in the bends because of the action of centrifugal force. [W hen therefore the main pipeline opens into a pair of branch lines,

I madeas simple andfree from complications great difficulty is experienced in dividing the streanrequally between the branches, since centrifugal force tendsto throw the majority of the material and particularly the coarser particles thereon into one branch, and the other branch receives but lt is necessary for efficient operation that each of the burners receive the same quantity and fineness of coal,- but this result is difficult to attain since there are almost in-, variably one 'or more bends in the pipe line which produce segregationv of the coal anterior to the division point. Moreover, the problem is rendered even more difiicult because the space infront of'the furnace is usually limited and the piping must be as possible.

If the discharge relative to theinlet pipe that the plane of the bend of the supplypipe is at'right angles'to the plane ofthe discharge conduits, i. e., the plane defined by their center lines,

then no serious problem is presented, since the material will tend to divide evenly between the two'dischargepipes. If, on the other hand,'these planes are at less than a right angle, then centrifugal force acting upon the material tends to throw it towards pipes are so arranged uniform oneof the discharge pipes and so causes uneven distribution of the material. 7 It is accordingly one object of my inven tion to provide a construction which will ensure a uniform distribution of pulverized r material fromasupply conduit to a'pairof branch conduits, and particularly where the plane :of the bend of the supply conduit is at less than a right angle to the plane of. i

the discharge conduits.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a distributing device which'will be adaptable to various installations, and which will operate satisfactorily without the ne cessity for adjustment andregardless of the size of the angle between the supply con WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION or MAssAonU duit andthe plane of the branch conduits. I

\Vith these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art,

inyinvention resides .in the combination of -13 parts set forth in the specification and 'covered bythe claims appended hereto.

Inaccordance With my invention, I provide a supply conduit. arranged to deliver a stream. of pulverized material in a fluid current to a pair of discharge conduits leading to points of use or deposit. In order to as sure an-equal division of the pulverizedmaterial between the discharge conduits, I

provide a pipe system which serves to divide the incoming material into two parts-and deflects a portion of each part into the other Y to form two streams which pass into -,the discharge conduits. This is preferably a'cc'omplished by dividing the incoming mamaterial subdivided throughout the circumference of the pipe into localized portions which ma neness characteristics. 'For this? purpose I may provide walls forming scoops separated by passages which serve to scoop as terial into localized portions which are be resmixed as two; streams of scooped material passes within the innerpipe on opposite sides of the partition, and this partition is so shaped, and preferably as a helix, that it will transpose the scooped material coming from one side of the supply conduit to the opposite side of the pipe and cause it to mingle with the material passing directly through the passages between the scoops on such opposite side of the pipe.

Referring to the drawings illustrating one embodiment'of my invention, and in which like reference numerals indicate like parts,

,Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my device as constructed for use in a cylindrical supply conduit;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the helical partition removed from the remainder of the device;

Fig. 3 is a cross section through the center of a pipe system equipped with my device, the helical partition being shown in full for clearness of illustration;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a view on a small scale showing the exterior construction of the two-way valve.

In the drawings I have illustrated a supply conduit comprising a pipe bend 10 connected to a straight cylindrical inlet pipe section 11. The pipe 11 leads to a Y-fitting 12, to which are connected a pair of branch pipes or outlet conduits 14 and 15.

In order that one only of the branch conduits may be used if desired, I preferably provide a blade 16 which is pivotallymounted within the Y-litting 12 about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the branch conduits. This blade is thus between the branch conduits and may be adjusted by means of an external handle 17 (Fig. 5) so as to throw the entire stream into either branch. When both branch conduits are in use, the blade 16 is placed in a central position. r i

The pulverized material to be distributed may come to the pipe 10 from any suitable source, such as a storage bin, or a pulverizer which is adapted to reduce the material to a fine powder and deliver it on a current of air. One type of machine which is suitable for this purpose is shown in the U. S. patent to Andrews No. 1,646,720. The branch conduits ,14 and 15 may lead to points of deposit or use, such'as storage bins,

or, if the system is used to handle pulverized fuel, to separate furnace burners.

The construction as so far described is subject to certain serious disadvantages which are overcome by my invention. Because of the action of centrifugal force, the pulverized material will tend to separate from the air as it passes through pipe bend 10 and the other bends which are usually present in the pipe line leading thereto. As a result of this segregation, most of the material will flow downwardly alongthe right side of pipe 11 in Fig. 3 and thus pass into branch 15. It is impossible to entirely obviate this trouble by an adjustment of the blade 16, since the coarse particles of material segregate more than the fine particles. vlVhile blade 16 might possibly be adjusted to equalize the quantities of material passing to the branch pipes, such adjustment could not prevent most of the coarse material from passing to branch 15, which would be particularly undesirable in the case of pulverized fuel. Futhermore, if the blade 16 is adjusted away from its center position in an attempt to equalize the quantities of fuel, an unequal division of the air flow will result, thus causing different proportions of fuel and air in the two branch pipes. I

In order to overcome these difficulties, I provide the construction illustrated in Fig. 1, which is made of the proper size to fit closely in the interior of pipe 11. This device comprises a centralcylindrical pipe 19 considerably smaller in diameter than pipe 11. A series of battle walls are provided to form pockets or scoops 20 having steeply sloping bottoms 21 and upstanding sides 22, and these are arranged around the outer circumference of the pipe 19. These scoops are so constructed as to catch small localized porti'ons of the incoming material and discharge them into the central pipe 19. The scoops are spaced apart, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, to form passages which permit a part of the material to flow into the annular space outside the pipe 19. This annular space is divided into two parts bya thin vertical partition 24 of awidth substantially equal to the internal diameter of pipe .11. The device is placed concentrically within the pipe 11 with the partition 24 in the same plane as the blade 16 when the latter is in its mid-position. Any suitable means may be utilized to hold the construction in position, such as a pair of lugs 25 extending inwardly from the pipe 11.

Within the pipe 19 I arrange a helical or deflecting partition 26 which is twisted. through an angle of 180 degrees, and located with its top or inlet and its bottom or outlet edges in the same plane as the partition 24. This helical plate may be made integral with the pipe 19 if desired, but for convenience in I manufacture I prefer to.

lit in notches 29 in the pipe 19. The lower 1 edge 30 of the pipe '19 is preferably shaped to follow substantially the curves of the two helices on the member 26, as shown in Fig. 1, in order to save weight and afford a free exit forthe material flowing therethrough.

' The operation of my invention will'now be apparent fromthe above disclosure. A stream of pulverized material and air is introduced into theinlet conduit 10, and segregation occurs in this stream because of centrifugal force as it passes around any bends that may be present. In the formillustrated, the tendency is for most of the material to flow into the outlet branch 15, but the scoops 20 take out localized spaced portions of this material flowing near the circumference of the pipe 16 and deliver it into the central pipe 19, as shown by the arrows in Fig. 4. The material thus scooped out of the stream flows along the helical partition 26 and is delivered to the opposite branch pipe from that which it would otherwise have reached. The inner pipe 19 is open ended and communicates with the space at the lower end of pipe 11. Hence that portion of the material flowing in the left hand side of pipe 10, as seen in Fig. 3, which is caught by the scoops 20, is ,transposed by the helical deflecting bafiie or partition '26 to the opposite 'or right hand side of the device and there mixed with material coming through the passages between the scoops on the right hand side of the partition 24:, and'this mixture flows out through the right hand outlet branch conduit 15.

Similarly, the material scooped from the right hand side of the pipe 10 is mixed with material flowing through the passages be- 7 tween the scoops on the left hand side and the mixture goes to the outlet pipe'l l. The

scoops 20 and pipe 19 provide walls which I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A distributing device comprising an inlet pipe for air and-pulverulent material,

two branch conduits connected therewith,

walls interposed in the inlet pipe serving to scoop spaced portions of the incoming material from the remainder and form two streams, and partitions separating each stream into two portions, one of said partitions being shaped as a deflectlng bafile arranged to combine one. portion ofeach stream with a portion of the other and coin duct the sameto the: branch-conduits.

2.'--A distributing device comprising two concentric pipes, a partition betweenfthe pipes, a partition within the inner pipe, and

walls forming spaced scoops between the pipes arranged to separate and feed alter nate portions of the incoming material to the inner pipe, said partition within the inner pipe being arranged to deflect the-material on each side thereof into the material on the opposite side of the outerpipe.

3. A distributing device comprising an inlet pipe, two branch outlet conduits, and

walls forming locali'zed passages arranged circumferentially of the pipe and connected alternately with the two outlet conduits.-

-' LA distributing device comprising two concentric pipes, an inlet pipe connected therewith to supply a stream of air and pulverulent material," two branch outlet I pipes, and baflie walls between the concentric pipes arranged to form aplurality of passages, alternate passages being connect edwith one outlet pipe and the remainder with the other outlet pipe.

5. A distributing device comprising an inlet pipe, two branch outlet conduits, walls forming localized passages arranged circumferentially of the inlet pipe, and means including a helical wall to conduct the mate.-

' rial in alternate passageson one side of the pipe and cause it to mix with the material in alternate passages on the other side of the pipe and flow into one of the outlet conduits. V

' 6. A distributing devicecomprising. an inlet pipe, two branch outlet conduits, walls forming localized scoops separated by passages arranged circum'ferentially of the pipe, and means including a helical wall to conduct the material from the' scoops on one side of the pipeand cause it to mix with'the material inthe passages located on the opposite-side of the pipe and flow into one of the outlet conduits, the remaining material being delivered into the other outlet conduit.

7. A distributing device for a streamof pulverized material and air comprising an outer pipe, an innerpipe arranged centrally therein, an inlet conduit supplying material to said pipes, scoops between the pipes which are spaced apart'and arranged to transmit the material caught thereby into said inner pipe and to permit other matetwo spaces, a baflie' wall dividing the annular the inlet ends of said baffle walls being 10- cated'in substantially the same diametrical plane and the inner vbaflie wall being so shaped that it will transpose the material within the inner pipe from one side of said diametrical plane to the opposite and cause it to mingle with the material passing 1111-. obstructedly between said scoops, and a branch outlet conduit connected with said pipes at each side of said diametrical plane to receive, the material passing through the lpes.

8. A distributing device for air and pulm verulent material comprising abent supply conduit and two branch outlet conduits so arranged that the plane of the bend of the supply conduit is at less than right angles to the plane of the discharge conduits, a pipe between said conduits, Walls associated with said pipe to form localized passages arranged circumferentially thereof, and means for conducting material from alternate passages to one outlet conduit and from 20 the intermediate passages to the other outlet conduit. t Signed at WVorcester, Massachusetts, this 5th day of September; 1928.

FREDERICK J. DOLAN.- 

